The Las Vegas Raiders are in a bit of a rough patch. After a promising Week 1 win, the team has dropped three straight games, and now another concern looms: tight end Brock Bowers may miss his first game of the season due to a lingering knee injury.
What’s the Status for Brock Bowers Amid Week 5?
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Bowers isn’t expected to play Sunday against the Colts. The second-year tight end has been nursing a left knee injury since Week 1, pushing through the pain to suit up each week.
#Raiders star TE Brock Bowers is trending toward not playing Sunday against the #Colts, per me and @TomPelissero. Bowers has been battling a knee injury.
While coach Pete Carroll expressed confidence in Bowers being out on the field, his knee didn’t respond. pic.twitter.com/kI6wCAp93J
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 4, 2025
However, the reality is clear: he hasn’t been able to move or separate from defenders as easily as he could last season, and his production has suffered as a result.
In the season opener against the New England Patriots, Bowers injured his knee. Following a 38-yard pass, he was hit close to the sideline and was observed cautiously making his way to the medical tent. Since then, he has been wearing a brace for support.
The team is just controlling Bowers’ practice schedule and providing him with more rest, according to coach Pete Carroll, who has attempted to maintain a positive attitude. However, it is not exactly encouraging to skip both Thursday and Friday practices for Week 5. Although it has been difficult to play at full speed, Bowers acknowledged that the ailment has been “painful, sore, just annoying.”
The Effect that Bowers Leaves on the Offense for Las Vegas
The effect on the Raiders’ offense has been noticeable. After an explosive Week 1 with five catches for 103 yards, Bowers has totaled just 14 catches for 122 yards over the last three games. The passing game, which initially looked strong, has fallen to 14th in the league, averaging 215.3 yards per game. Fans and commentators have noticed that the team seems stagnant at times, and a lot of that can be attributed to Bowers not being fully healthy.
If Bowers misses Sunday, the Raiders will rely on Ian Thomas, Carter Runyon, and Albert Okwuegbunam at tight end, with Michael Mayer also sidelined in concussion protocol. That’s a lot of pressure on the offense to produce without their top weapon.
Right now, it looks like Bowers will sit out versus the Colts. Raiders supporters may not be happy with this news, but allowing him to recover might be the key to getting him back to full strength and becoming the playmaker this team sorely needs.